Austinites can soon weigh in on light rail plan, potential project impacts

AUSTIN (KXAN) — As work advances on Austin's first light rail system, community members will soon have a closer look at how that line will meld into the existing city framework.

Austin Transit Partnership officials said at a Nov. 14 board work session a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) is nearing completion. The National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, requires an EIS for some major infrastructure projects, particularly those utilizing federal dollars.

 The NEPA process will evaluate all the potential impacts due to both the construction and operations of the light rail, as well as ways to try and mitigate said impacts. Analysis areas include effects on biological and natural resources, neighborhoods, and socio-economic impacts as well as both cultural and historical ones.

Come mid-January, ATP leadership said they'll roll out a series of events and community engagement opportunities for residents, businesses and stakeholders to review those possible benefits and implications from the project. An example of some of those various factors that would be affected by a new infrastructure project, presented to the ATP board, are outlined in the graphic below.

The draft EIS is based on existing design work completed as of spring 2024, officials said at the work session. Once community feedback is provided, a finalized version of the EIS will be released next year.

As that NEPA process wraps, ATP will continue further advancing design work and other activities to keep the project moving, said Jennifer Pyne, ATP's executive vice president of planning, community and federal programs.  

With the various layers and complexities of information incorporated into the draft EIS, Pyne added officials will work to break down the details into digestible information so all community members can understand and weigh in on the project. However, she added more technical information will be available for those who want to dive further into the nitty gritty.

Also looking ahead toward 2025, ATP's Executive Director Greg Canally said work will also advance on the federal grant funding process, as well as ATP collaborating with its third-party workers and city partners on real estate-related issues and utility relocations.

"We are preparing for construction," Canally said. "Austin light rail is underway. The project is underway."